Enhanced Cellular Infiltration With Removal of Sacrificial Fibers From a Dual-Polymer Nanofibrous Scaffold

The meniscus is a wedge-shaped, fibrocartilaginous tissue that stabilizes the knee joint by transmitting and distributing loads from the rounded femur to the flat tibial plateau [1]. With normal use, the meniscus experiences large tensile stresses along its circumferentially oriented collagen fibers [2]. Interruption of these fibers with injury inhibits load transfer and precipitates the early onset of osteoarthritis in the adjacent articular surfaces. Endogenous healing of the avascular region of the meniscus is limited, and restoration of fiber architecture is difficult to achieve [3]. The current, standard treatment of partial meniscectomy alleviates symptoms but does not restore mechanical function.